Nail extractor



March 21, 1939. H. SCHULTHEISS NAIL EXTRACTOR Filed Nov. 16, 1956 Inge/7?. WM w 5 MM Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 111,140 In Germany November 12, 1935 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a device whereby nails may be extracted from boxes, boards and the like.

The tools known heretofore for fulfilling this 5 purpose, but which only did so inadequately, were of different construction, and an absolutely noiseless extraction of the nail, which can only take place when the nail retains its straight shape, was not possible. The known nail ex- 10 tractors have also the drawback that they become absolutely useless as soon as the gripper becomes worn or breaks under excessive strain; moreover, these tools are lacking in further devices which are often used before or after draw- 15 ing the nails, namely, a tool for scratching off useless labels or one for severing iron hoops, wire or the like.

These drawbacks are eliminated by the present invention by a new type of tool. The sup- 20 porting foot arranged pivotally on the lever is provided, transverse to its direction of motion with a wide sharp foot, alongside which several sharp points can be included, so that after placing on a board, it can turn about these points 25 as an axis of rotation but always in the same plane. The rotary movement of the lever about its axis is limited at both sides by stops in the supporting foot. A tension spring pulls the bot tom lever arm against one of the stops, that is 30 against the back one, in order to ensure a certain position of the tool with respect to the particular nail before manipulation. Thus the supporting foot cannot unintentionally move, nor can it be shifted when the tool is applied. Ac-

35 cording to a further feature of the invention, in order that a gripper can be exchanged for a new one, or a gripper for rather large nails exchanged for one for smaller nails, the lever can be provided with a gripper at each of its two ends, or,

40 at the end of the lever, the actual gripping portion which contains the gripping jaw can be made interchangeable, or several such members, adapted to different nail sizes, are arranged on a drum or the like.

45 The need for being able to adapt the gripper to different nail sizes is also considered, according to the invention by providing only one gripper instead of several but cutting the slit intended to receive the nail, so far into the lever that 5 the side portions formed by the slit tend to separate from each other. They can then be set to a certain width of slit by a pin provided with an adjusting screw.

According to a still further feature of the in- 55 vention, besides a sharp edge for scratching off labels, the supporting foot is also provided with a cutter which can be used for severing wire, iron hoops and the like. This cutter is preferably so arranged at one of the side lugs of the foot that it has its cutting edge directed somewhat inwards, that is, toward the longitudinal axis of the lever. It is provided with a pin which serves the cutter as a support during its leverlike actuation.

Of course, it is within the scope of the invention to provide the lever with a gripper at one end only whilst the other end is furnished with a handle, for example of wood.

In order to use the device, it is so applied that the lifting jawlies shortly in front of the nail. Now if the long lever arm is forced downwards in its longitudinal direction and at the same time somewhat backwards, the lifting jaw slides noiselessly under the nail, which is then pulled out perfectly straight by further depressing the lever.

Practical embodiments of the object of the invention are illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a nail extractor in side elevation.

Fig. 2 a view from below, and

Fig. 3 a front elevation.

Fig. 4 illustrates an element which can be reversibly inserted in the end of the lever and may be provided with slots of different sizes,

Fig. 5 a drum with three claws which can be 30 fixed rotatably in the end of the lever,

Fig. 6 a vertically slotted lever with adjusting device, and

Fig. 7 shearing device with supporting pin, shown in side elevation, in position for use.

The nail extractor consists of the lever and the foot rotatably associated with it.

The lever I may be straight or somewhat angular in shape at its two ends, and provided at each end with a hole 2, adjacent which it is formed as a gripper 3 having a jaw 4. Running downwards in the latter is a slot 5 with suitably sharp edges.

The foot is rotatably mounted about the spin-- dle 6 which is passed through one of the holes 2. This foot consists of a piece of thick sheet metal, so shaped that the bottom face 1 runs out into a sharp edge 8 and has a few triangular points 9 pressed out of it in downward direction. By moving the foot member about its fulcrum to the right as viewed in Figure 1 approximately 90 degrees, the edge 8 may be used to scratch a label or the like from the surface [5. The two side lugs l0 bent upwards, receive the spindle or pin 6. The bottom face 1 is also provided with a gap II through which the lever I is passed and whose edges I2, I3 limit the course of the lever at each end.

The lever is continually pulled against the edge I3 of the gap II by a tension spring I4 stretched between it and the foot.

In Fig. 4, the end of the lever I has a conical opening I! as the bearing socket for a suitably shaped knee-piece I8, which is inserted by one end whilst having its other end acting for use as a gripper; both ends are shaped as gripping claws, that is, they are furnished with a jaw 4 and a slot for receiving the nail. The kneepiece can be inserted the other way round and when in use, is fixed in the bearing socket I! by v a screw I9.

Fig. 5 shows the end of the lever I provided with a drum 2I rotatable about the spindle 20 and having three jaws 4 as grippers. It can be fixed in the particular position for use by a locking pin 23 urged by the pressure of the spring 22.

Fig. 6 shows a lever which is slit down its length, its two halves 24 being forced apart either by the springing of the material or by a special spring, whilst a wing nut 25 in conjunction with a pin 26 which replaces the spindle 6 makes it possibleto adjust the width of the slit as required.

Figs. 1, 2 and '7 illustrate the cutter 21 for severing wire, iron hoops, etc. It is secured to one of the side lugs Ill or is formed in one piece with same. Its cutting edge 28 is turned inwards somewhat, that is, towards the axis of the lever I whilst at the semi-circular rear portion, a pin 29 is provided as a support. I i

To use the device, the nail extractor is placed on the board I5 (Fig. 1) in such a way that the jaw 4 lies close in front of the nail I6 and the spikes 9 press into the board. Now the lever arm I is pressed downwards and at the same time backwards, so that the sharp edges of the slot 5 slide under the nail head at both sides.

Upon further depressing the lever, the tensile force of the spring I4 is gradually added so that both forces together bring about a vertical extraction of the nail until the lever arm strikes against the edge I2. By then, however, the nail is entirely, or at least for the greater portion, extracted.

When it is desired to cut a band or hoop, the

tool (Fig, 7) is placed with the supporting pin 29 on the edge of the case 30 in such a way that the edge 28 of the cutting knife 21 fits under the hoop 3|. Now if the lever I is depressed, the hoop 3I is severed, the leveritog'ether with the hand operating it being guided downwards along the side of the case owing to the oblique setting of the cutter.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A nail extractor comprising a foot member having a substantially triangular portion terminating in a relatively wide surface engaging base providinga fulcrum and when in operative position extending at an upward inclination from said fulcrum through and beyondthe vertical plane of a nail to be extracted from said surface, said portion having an opening adjacent the apex opposite said base and in a plane midway between the side extremities of the 'base, 'downwardly and rearwardly inclined projections adjacent the side extremities of said base, a lever pivotally connected intermediate itsends to the foot member adjacent the vertical plane of the nail and extending substantially vertically through said opening, a nail engaging element at the lower end of the lever, said lever being pivotally movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to thefoot member and the front and rear of the pivot for automatically forcing the lever against the stop means at the rear edge of said opening preliminary to the rearward pull on the lever to extract a nail.

HANS 'SCHULTHEISS. 

